MetService had issued a heavy rain warning to residents in Bay of Plenty and Gisborne where up to 120mm of rain could fall by midnight.

There's a storm warning in force for the top of the South Island, with some Cook Strait ferry sailings cancelled.

A spokeman from Kiwirail said high winds in Picton overnight affected services and 'several Interislander sailings this morning have been cancelled as a result and 'passengers are being re-accommodated on later sailings.'